Alexander is currently playing second fiddle to Celtic's Rab Douglas when it comes to keeping goal for the national team.

And the 25-year-old Bluebirds star is still waiting for his first Scottish cap - even though Scotland boss Berti Vogts has named Alexander in his squad for the last 13 months.

The former Livingston player will once again keep the Scottish bench warm in today's crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Group Five leaders Germany at Hampden Park.

But Rough reckons Alexander could oust the under-fire Douglas as Berti's first choice - especially as he will be playing First Division football south of the border next season.

"Berti Vogts has always said that if you are not playing first-team football for your club then you will not be able to play for the national team," said Rough.

"There is talk that Douglas will not be Celtic's first-choice goalkeeper next season and, with Paul Gallacher already losing his place at Dundee United, Neil could well be our No 1 next season.

"I know that sounds crazy because Neil has not yet been capped but at the moment we do not have that many Scottish goalkeepers."

But Rough added, "I have seen Neil play on TV and he has a lot of confidence. He seems to have a bit of cockiness about him. He really believes in himself.

"I think he has got a great pair of hands. He does not try to parry the ball - he tries to hold onto it. He is young for a goalkeeper and he is definitely going places.

"The fact he will now be playing in the First Division for Cardiff will only bring him on even more.

"He has established himself as our No 2 and he has a good chance of becoming our No 1."

Douglas will start against the Germans in Glasgow today but, on the club front, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill appears to have lost patience with him.

The 31-year-old has a poor record in the Old Firm derby with Rangers and was blamed for Porto's winner in the recent UEFA Cup final defeat in Seville.

Douglas was dropped for the final Scottish Premier League match of the season, at Kilmarnock, with O'Neill preferring Spaniard Javier-Sanchez Broto.

And with Magnus Hedman also waiting in the wings at Parkhead, Alexander's first cap may not be too far away.

"I am amazed that after all the friendlies Neil has been involved in that Vogts has still not given him a game," said Rough, who played for the Scots in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups and who was Jim Leighton's No 2 in the 1986 tournament.

"Douglas is Vogts' No 1, but we are not sure if he will be starting for Celtic next season. We have to wait and see what O'Neill does there.

"Neil had a good chance of playing against New Zealand last month but Douglas was not having the best of times at Celtic so Vogts gave him a vote of confidence by playing him.

"I do not think the goalkeeper's position is up for grabs at the moment. Douglas has not let Scotland down yet so Vogts will stand by him.

"But, if he is playing in Celtic's reserves next season..."

Vogts first called Alexander into the Scotland squad in May 2002, just after City were knocked out of the play-offs by Stoke.

But more than a year on and Alexander's display cabinet is still without that coveted first cap.

"It is a strange thing but right now we do not have too many goalkeepers up here in Scotland," said Partick Thistle legend Rough, capped 53 times by his country and now a radio pundit.

"Some years you might have had four or five to choose from and other years you might be really struggling.

"I coach a good lad at Partick Thistle called Kenny Arthur and he has been elevated to Scotland's fourth choice.

"At the start of last season he would never have thought he would be Scotland's No 4 in his wildest dreams.

"But on the bright side we do have a lot of young goalkeepers in Scotland."

Vogts' side need to beat the 2002 World Cup runners-up if they are to keep their slim chance of topping Group Five alive.

Scotland and Germany both have seven points - but Rudi Voller's men have two games in hand over the Scots, who still have to face the Germans in Germany.